1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates generally to devices for locking spare tires to vehicles and, more particularly, to a spare tire bracket lock for use in conjunction with pick-up trucks and similar vehicles having a mounting bracket for storing a spare tire below the undercarriage of the vehicle.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Pick-up trucks and similar vehicles are often equipped with a spare tire mounting bracket for storing a spare tire against the undercarriage of the vehicle, typically near the rear portion of the vehicle. The spare tire is supported by an elongated bracket or tire rack which clamps the tire against the underside of the vehicle. One end of the bracket is suspended by the enlarged head of a bolt which extends upwardly through a slotted hole in the support bracket and is secured at its upper end to the frame of the vehicle. The slotted hole at the first end of the support bracket allows the bracket to be rotated and tilted relative to the bolt to allow the spare tire to be accessed. A large and a small circular hole connected by a narrow passage are provided at a second end of the tire support bracket opposite the first end. An elongated, threaded second bolt is loosely secured at its upper end to the frame of the vehicle and extends downwardly in the vicinity of the large and small circular holes. The second bolt is loosely secured to permit lateral movement at the lower end of the bolt.
A mounting nut is provided for engaging the threads at the lower end of the second bolt and supporting the end of the bracket. Typically, the nut is constructed to include a flange extending laterally from the lower portion of the nut, the flange allowing the owner of the vehicle to more easily rotate the nut by hand. The upper portion of the nut includes a circular collar which fits within the small hole in the end of the bracket. The narrow passage in the end of the bracket is slightly wider than the diameter of the bolt but is smaller than the diameter of the circular collar. Therefore, when the spare tire is to be removed, the nut must be loosened sufficiently to permit the end of the bracket to be raised above the circular collar of the nut. The bolt can then be slid through the narrow passage and into the large circular hole through which the nut can be passed for allowing the end of the bracket to be lowered to the ground to provide access to the spare tire.
Thefts of spare tires from pick-up trucks and similar vehicles utilizing the above described spare tire storage assembly are very common since the nut incorporating the flange can be untightened, the bracket lowered, and the spare tire removed, all within a relatively short interval of time. To deter such thefts, manufactures of such vehicles typically provide an eye within the flange of the nut of sufficient size to permit the passage of a shackle of a padlock. The shackle of the padlock is also passed through the end links of a chain which is passed through the frame of the vehicle, the chain and the padlock thereby preventing rotation of the nut securing the bracket to the second bolt.
However, such measures have not proven very effective in deterring thefts of spare tires. Spare tire thieves often possess cutting tools such as bolt cutters which can be quickly applied on those portions of the chain which are accessible to the thief. Even when a heavy-duty hardened chain is used, thieves can apply the cutting tools directly to the shackle of the padlock rather than to the links of the chain in order to remove the spare tire. Often the thieves will simply cut the threaded bolt or bolts which hold the whole support bracket to eliminate the time to cut through the chain or padlock shackle. Additionally, such chains are noisy and are not conveniently installed or removed when the vehicle owner must access the spare tire. In the conventional spare tire support method, the chain, padlock, and threaded bolt extend a distance below the undercarriage and are often physically damaged or bent by striking the ground when the vehicle hits a bump. It is very common for water, mud, dirt and other debris to collect on the exposed depending parts and to become difficult if not impossible to remove as intended due to rust, corrosion, or other chemical damage.
Devices for locking spare tires to pick-up trucks and similar vehicles and brackets for preventing the theft of the spare tire are known in the art. There are several patents which disclose various spare tire locking devices.
Austin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,995 discloses a spare tire bracket lock which includes a lipped portion that slides over one edge of the tire support bracket, the flange of the mounting nut simultaneously sliding through a slot in the spare tire bracket lock. Locking members positioned adjacent opposite faces of the flange have holes aligned with the eye of the flange for allowing the shackle of a padlock to be passed through the holes in the locking members and the eye of the flange. The spare tire bracket lock also includes a shield plate for restricting access to the shackle of the padlock.
The U.S. Pat. Nos. of Cadmus, 3,175,742; Hunt et al, 1,761,920; Muschalek, 4,363,431; and Maurer, 3,884,057 are directed toward special spare tire carriers or means for supporting spare tires beneath the vehicle undercarriage. Barr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,066 is directed toward an apparatus for securing a spare tire in the bed portion of a pick-up truck.
German Pat. No. 1,238,793, Canadian Pat. No. 68,319, and British Pat. No. 784,718 disclose various other spare tire carriers or means for supporting spare tires beneath the vehicle undercarriage.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a spare tire bracket lock comprising an elongated tubular member which is slotted to be slidably received on one end of the spare tire support bracket. A pin inserted through aligned holes in the bracket lock side walls passes through the eye of the flange of the support bracket mounting nut and the shackle of a padlock received through a hole in the pin within the bracket lock secures the bracket lock on the support bracket to enclose the mounting nut and padlock and substantially surround the elongated threaded bolt restricting access to the padlock and the threaded bolt. A cap covers the open bottom of the spare tire bracket lock to shield the padlock and threaded bolt from water, mud, and debris to prevent chemical and physical damage thereto. A second tubular member is provided to surround another elongated bolt which hingedly retains the other end of the support bracket.